Southwest District Health

Health Screenings & Physicals: Provides wellness exam and general athletic and pre-employment physicals. Contact 455-5435.

Oral Health: Provides dental hygiene services such as teeth cleaning, sealants, fluoride treatments and education for CHIP or Medicaid enrolled pregnant women and their children. Contact: 455-5345.

Women's Health Check: Strives to identify women at risk for breast and cervical cancer through early detection. Contact: 549-2370.

Reproductive Health (Family Planning): Focuses on increasing community awareness and educating adolescents and adults about the importance of making informed decisions. Services include physical exams, counseling, pap smears, contraceptives, natural family planning, community education and referrals. Contact: 455-5345.

Communicable Disease Prevention: This program monitors reportable communicable diseases and follows some cases as necessary. Communicable diseases include, but are not limited to: tuberculosis, all sexually transmitted diseases, including HIV/AIDS, hantavirus infection, hepatitis, foodborne diseases, childhood infections, such as measles, polio, pertussis (whooping cough), etc. Contact: 455-5442.

Reporting/Investigation/ HIPAA and Public Health:

Reporting: Initial reports of communicable disease can be received from a number of sources, for example: physicians, hospitals, laboratories, schools, government agencies, food establishments and private citizens. It is important that the information received be as accurate and complete as possible. This information should include name, organization, and phone number of person reporting the communicable disease. Client information being reported should include name, address, phone number(s), age, gender, date and time, health care provider's name, address and phone number, and as much information about the disease or condition as possible (date of onset, laboratory confirmation, history of illness, others ill with similar symptoms, etc.).

Investigation: All reports of actual or potential cases of communicable disease are reported directly to the Communicable Disease Registered Nurse(s), immediately upon receipt. Based on the categorization of the reported disease (confirmed or suspected) on the Idaho Reportable Disease List as well as the number of cases, the Communicable Disease Registered Nurse may collaborate with appropriate disease specific Southwest District Health epidemiology staff, health care providers and agencies, laboratories, and the Idaho Office of Epidemiology. All case investigation reports are forwarded to the Idaho Office of Epidemiology upon completion. This communicable disease data is then analyzed and interpreted in conjunction with data from the other state health districts. The purpose of communicable disease surveillance is public health action. As an epidemiologic tool, this surveillance data is helpful in several ways, including identifying trends and distribution of disease and preventing and controlling the spread of further illnesses.

HIPAA and Public Health: In accordance with the Health Portability and Accountability Act of 1996 (HIPAA), "the privacy rule expressly permits protected health information (PHI) to be shared for specified public health purposes. For example, covered entities may disclose PHI, without individual authorization, to a public health authority legally authorized to collect or receive the information for the purpose of preventing or controlling disease, injury, or disability [45 CFR & 164.512(b)]".